


like night and day

by MollyRenata



Series: Ultra Recon Love [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon | Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Versions
Genre: Gen, Oneshot, Spoilers, Timeskip, alternative interpretation of character relationship, dulse's furfrou is also featured, it's not explicit but they're kind of into each other, light shipping, lots of alternative interpretations in general, phyco and soliera are mentioned, sequel fic, ultra recon dorks, ultra recon squad centric, ultra sun timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-08 22:49:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18904258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MollyRenata/pseuds/MollyRenata
Summary: Ten years can really change a person. Sometimes, however, what's more important is what doesn't change.





	like night and day

**Author's Note:**

> I have a Dulse Problem, and I'm having the worst time thinking of who to ship him with. I don't like Soliera, Zossie has the whole age problem, and pretty much any other ship would be crack at best. Don't get me wrong, I love my crack ships, but I still have to think of reasons for them to get together.
> 
> The simple solution? Timeskip! This also allows me to insert a couple of my other ideas on the 'verse, and how it would evolve in the aftermath of the main story.
> 
> Ultra Sun timeline, but the protagonist is Selene. If I do any other fics in this timeline, Elio may be featured.

* * *

  
Once, there was a time when Necrozma's hunger for light drove it to madness. It consumed the light of its own world, but that was not enough; it sought more still afterward, its suffering lasting for centuries.  
  
Ten years had passed since the end of that era, with the Blinding One regaining its true form for an instant... and yet, the light still had not returned to Ultra Megalopolis.  
  
Many had lost hope. They believed that Necrozma's grudge led it to keep the light it had stolen, that no amount of effort would bring it to forgive the people of its world for that which they had wrought upon it in the past. They returned to their old routines, accepting that their world's sun would never shine again.  
  
Ever since he'd come to reside in Alola, Dulse knew that the answer was not so simple.  
  
Light, while brilliant, could also be _harsh_. Many of the people of Ultra Megalopolis had never seen the sun or felt its warmth - and they had never been forced to adjust to it. While he did enjoy the light in small doses, Dulse often found himself retreating to places where no natural light reached, simply because his body wasn't designed to handle it. His eyes began to hurt after just a few minutes standing outside... and the less said of his skin's condition, the better.  
  
He had chosen to remain in the employment of the Aether Foundation, hoping that they could assist him in finding the answer to the question of Necrozma's condition. He had theorized once that the reason Necrozma hadn't returned the light to its own world was not because it didn't want to, but rather because it _couldn't_ \- even with part of its light restored, it still had trouble sustaining its true form for anything longer than a brief period, and that was only with the aid of someone who possessed the Z-Power Ring. Necrozma was healing, but after _so long_ of being so severely damaged, it would not recover overnight.  
  
Everything that Dulse had learned in his studies thus far pointed to this conclusion, but he still had no means of confirming it for certain. He was thankful, then, that he had assistance on the subject.  
  
Some years back, the president of the Aether Foundation had relinquished her title to her young son. Dulse hadn't known the boy at all before, but he had proven to be a hard-working, if somewhat _troublesome_ , leader. More important was the fact that the individual who had tamed Necrozma - and returned some of its light - was... _involved_ with the new president, and so she was frequently able to lend the Blinding One to Dulse for his research.  
  
He didn't much like to think of the implications of using what was effectively his world's god as a test subject - especially considering what had happened to it in the past - but Necrozma didn't seem offended by it, at least. Perhaps it simply wished to share its knowledge with one who hailed from the same world, recognizing that he sought to aid it rather than to further harm it.  
  
Still, even though he neared closer to what seemed like an inevitable conclusion, Dulse was not without his other concerns. Aside from those at the Aether Foundation, and a small handful of other people he had met since coming to Alola, there really wasn't anyone familiar that he could rely on. He was the only one of his kind in the Foundation, and Zossie...  
  
She had left on her own journey some time ago, and that was the last Dulse had heard from her. While they had worked together as part of the Ultra Recon Squad, her interests quickly diverged from his - and it left him feeling terribly lonely without her by his side.  
  
He didn't know why, really. Their relationship hadn't been _that_ close before they came to Alola, but once they'd started working together, things had changed; he came to view her as a close friend, perhaps even a younger sister... though their _exact_ relationship was difficult for him to pinpoint, and she hadn't said anything on the subject herself. They'd spent quite a lot of time together during their journey to stop Necrozma's madness, but Dulse still had trouble fully understanding Zossie, and that bothered him more than it logically should have.  
  
So, instead of thinking about it, he had absorbed himself in his work. The young president commended him for it, but that mattered little to him - the only thing that mattered was decisively proving the answer to Necrozma's riddle, so that he could return home to Ultra Megalopolis and relay it to the people who remained there.  
  
..."Home". He wasn't even really sure if he could call that place _home_ anymore. He had been living in Alola for so long, it felt as though he'd taken up permanent residence there - but there was, of course, the issue of his odd body that stood out so much among the people of this world. His intolerance for natural light, and his blue-shaded skin that contrasted the tans and browns of Alola's residents so harshly...  
  
They didn't treat him any different for it, but Dulse knew that he was still an _outsider_ in this world, every bit as alien as the monstrous Ultra Beasts that occasionally found their way to Alola. And, bless her adventurous soul, so was Zossie - _wherever_ she was.  
  
This particular week had been... taxing, even by Dulse's rigorous standards. While he did have a designated "day off", he frequently worked right through it - mirroring the man who had taken charge of the Aether Foundation. For once, he wasn't planning on doing that; perhaps he would go and visit Selene instead, to discuss the large furry creature that had begun to follow him around some time ago. She had explained to him that even if he didn't quite understand battling, Furfrou _wanted_ to stay with him, but he wondered why it would willingly choose to do so.  
  
Yet another thing he still hadn't learned about Pokemon, even after all these years. He had to admit that spending time with the odd dog was... _comforting_ , though.  
  
Of course, as always, things weren't so simple. Dulse's office didn't have any windows - a unique accommodation made due to his sensitivity to natural light - and so he had to tell the time in _other_ ways, but he knew that it was evening. Soon, he would be able to step outside and into the moonlight, which was not quite so harsh as the sun; it was something he looked forward to now, the brief moment of relaxation he permitted himself before returning to his work. The location of Aether Paradise helped as well, the sound of the ocean's waves splashing against the sides of the artificial island-  
  
A knock on the door distracted Dulse from his thoughts. He glanced back, just enough to view the door from the corner of his visor. "Come in."  
  
The door slid open, revealing none other than President Gladion himself; he had grown quite a bit taller since inheriting the position, but he was still just as lanky as ever, with his hair trimmed in a very familiar style. "Dulse."  
  
"...Sir?" Dulse was _very_ confused by this visit. Gladion didn't often come to meet his employees in person - he was not a trusting or sociable man. "What is it?"  
  
"Someone left a message on my desk earlier," Gladion stated, a hint of annoyance in his tone. "Seems it's for you." He paused, looking away. "...Whoever it was, they've been here before. I don't recognize the signature, though."  
  
Dulse raised an eyebrow at this, though he knew Gladion couldn't see it behind his visor. "For me?" As far as he knew, none of the employees that had joined since Gladion's inheritance knew the lone resident of Ultra Megalopolis well; it must have been someone from before that time, who'd left for some reason or other. Off the top of his head, he couldn't think of anyone, either.  
  
"Yes, for you." Gladion looked back at Dulse; though he'd become more honest in recent years, he still had trouble maintaining eye contact during these sorts of conversations, even when the other party's eyes were hidden. "They said they wanted to meet you in the conservatory." A brief pause - he hadn't grown out of that quirk, either. "...Sun's setting. You should be fine up there."  
  
"Ah, thank you." Dulse glanced at the digital clock that sat on his desk, then stood up. "I would like to go immediately, if that's permissible."  
  
Gladion gave a half-shrug. "You know, you don't _need_ to ask my permission to do everything. You've been working here longer than I have."  
  
A fair point, but Dulse was still the kid's subordinate, and he wasn't the sort who liked to challenge authority - not since a small... _incident_ with Phyco, back in Ultra Megalopolis. "I would still prefer to ask permission."  
  
"...Fine, have it your way." Gladion stepped aside, his expression amused. "Permission granted."  
  
"If you'll excuse me." Dulse stepped up to the door, then turned to Gladion and gave him a farewell gesture. The signature Alolan wave was something that Dulse still had trouble bringing himself to do - he preferred to use the version that the Ultra Recon Squad had adopted so long ago, as it served as an extra reminder of the fact that he was not native to this world.  
  
As he left his office and started off toward the conservatory, Dulse wondered just _who_ would want to see him now, after such an extended absence.  


* * *

  
The conservatory was not a place that Dulse visited often. As someone who had grown up in a world ruled by technology and lacking nature, he preferred the quiet atmosphere of Aether Paradise's exterior; the songs of nature were beautiful, but they, like the sun, could also be overwhelming.  
  
Still, it was nice to get a breath of fresh air every now and then. Furfrou enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the other Pokemon in the conservatory, and Dulse wasn't about to deny his strange pet - not after it had journeyed so far just to return to him. Even if he didn't understand Furfrou's attachment, he didn't want to _waste_ the time he had with it, either.  
  
At this time of the evening, there was hardly any sunlight in the conservatory. Dulse disregarded his affliction as he searched around the pristine white pathways, his mind turning elsewhere; he still hadn't figured out who from his past would want to meet with him now, and the fact that he barely remembered any of those faces didn't help matters any. The Aether Foundation was large, and with his goal being what it was then, he hadn't interacted with anyone he didn't need to - that was Zossie's job.  
  
As he turned the corner beneath a large tree, Dulse noticed someone who was conspicuously not dressed in the Aether uniform. He narrowed his focus, observing the person from a distance; obviously female, with a short white dress and blue leggings, her long, bright orange hair tied into a braid, and-  
  
Her skin was light blue, the same as his. There was only _one_ person that could be.  
  
"...Zossie?"  
  
She turned to face him, and a broad grin immediately crossed her face as she caught his eye with hers. "Hey, Dulse! Long time no see!"  
  
Before Dulse could react, Zossie - it was _definitely_ her, he could tell for certain now - sprinted toward him, and he found himself enveloped in a very tight hug. He stared down at her, unmoving, surprise winning out over reason; he couldn't think of anything to say, and he doubted that his vocal cords would let him, anyway.  
  
"You're still wearing that thing?" Zossie studied his face, curiosity in her eyes. "You know that's bad for your eyes, right?"  
  
In fact, it was for precisely this reason that Dulse often still wore his visor. He wasn't the sort who liked expressing himself openly, and he'd learned long ago that people were often able to tell how he felt by his eyes. Of course, the visor didn't work with Zossie - she had been able to see right through him from day one, and often knew how he felt better than he himself did.  
  
"...I have my reasons," Dulse stated, finally finding his voice again. "Why did you come here? I thought we'd agreed that our interests were different."  
  
Zossie let go of Dulse, and gave a shrug. "I guess I just needed to get all that 'growing up' out of my system. I mean, I liked this world from the moment we first arrived, so of course I wanted to see more of it!" She folded her hands behind her back, her expression softening. "Plus, well, I kinda wanted to see you again. I really got to like you back when we were working together."  
  
"Were you the one who left the letter on the president's desk?" Dulse already knew the answer, of course - there was no one else who'd leave a letter like that, in that location - but he wanted to confirm it with her. "...He was quite upset."  
  
" _He?_ " Zossie's face contorted for a moment, but then she nodded. "Yeah, I left it there. I thought that- wait a minute, was there a change of hands?"  
  
"There was," Dulse replied, as he removed his visor; there was no point keeping it on around Zossie, anyway. "Lusamine's son inherited the Foundation. He is... difficult, but respectable."  
  
Zossie considered Dulse's words for a moment. "Oh, the spiky kid," she said, after a brief silence. "You mean, you've been working under him all this time?"  
  
Dulse chose not to respond immediately; instead, he studied Zossie, considering the changes in her appearance. She hadn't grown as much as he'd expected - she was still a full head shorter than him, and her body was nowhere near as feminine as Soliera's. Perhaps the most notable change was the length of her hair, as she'd definitely grown it out quite a bit since they last met.  
  
At the same time, he couldn't help feeling that she had grown... _attractive_ , somehow. He didn't understand it, and it wasn't a line of thought he had a specific interest in pursuing anyway, but the feeling was there. Perhaps he'd have to ask her about it later.  
  
"For approximately seven years, yes," Dulse said finally, his voice a bit quieter than he'd intended. "Many of the other employees are... somewhat afraid of him." He paused, considering his words. "...However, working under Gladion has proven beneficial in a most unexpected way. He is... _close_ with Selene, and thus I have been able to study Necrozma at length."  
  
Zossie's eyes went wide. "You mean, those two are...?" She jumped up, excited. "That's, like, totally awesome! I mean, I don't get her taste in men, but... hey, that's her problem, right?"  
  
"Calm yourself, Zossie." After all these years, it felt strange to say those words again - but Dulse also found it somewhat... _relieving_. "...Yes, but that is not the most important thing. Soon, I may be able to show the people of Ultra Megalopolis that their fears are unfounded, and that the light may still return to our world."  
  
"Oh yeah, I'd almost forgotten about that," Zossie admitted, looking a little embarrassed. "I mean, I got a message from Captain Phyco the other day... should I still call him that? Anyway, that's why I decided to come over and say hi." She tilted her head at Dulse. "Well, okay, one reason. I also wanted to ask if I could come work here again, but I guess I'll have to talk with the president about that."  
  
Dulse raised an eyebrow; he hadn't expected her to express interest in working with the Aether Foundation. "You wish to remain here?"  
  
"Yeah, I mean..." Zossie's expression grew distant; it was unusual to see her like this. "I've seen a lot of this world, now. Traveling from region to region - Unova, Kalos, even a bit of Kanto and Johto... but out of all the different places I've been, I think I like Alola the best. It's nice and warm and bright... and of course, you and Selene are here!"  
  
"You don't want to go back to Ultra Megalopolis?" Dulse regretted the question almost as soon as he'd asked it - _of course_ she wouldn't want to go back to their world, she was too enthralled with this one. He understood her enthusiasm about this place to some extent; he wanted to stay here as well, but there was _no way_ he could match her feelings on the matter.  
  
"Nope, this is my home now," Zossie said, a rather obvious response; still, she gave him a curious look. "What about you? You don't have any reason to stay here, do you?"  
  
Dulse shook his head. "No logical reason, but I have come to enjoy this place, much as you have. Perhaps... not to the same degree, but... I have no reason to return to our world, either."  
  
"...I guess that's as good a reason as any." Zossie broke into a grin - a more familiar expression on her. "That means we'll be working together, right? Assuming I get the job, I mean."  
  
"I can put in a word of recommendation," Dulse suggested, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself a small smile. "I'm sure the president will be able to recognize your talents easily."  
  
"You'd do that for me?" The look on Zossie's face became downright _radiant_ \- and she pulled Dulse into another tight hug. "Oh, thanks so much, Dulse! This is gonna be _awesome!_ "  
  
This time, Dulse didn't have the heart to tell her to calm herself. He had to admit, he was somewhat excited about the prospect as well - and he was sure that she knew that, too. With her prior experience, the only obstacle to Zossie becoming an employee of the Aether Foundation was Gladion... and he had grown far more reasonable since taking the position of president.  


* * *

  
With her position in the Aether Foundation secured, Zossie's last remaining concern was swept away by the Alolan waves. Though he was prickly on the outside, Gladion proved to be a kindhearted person inside, and he was more than willing to accept one of Dulse's old companions back into the fold - especially when it was one of Selene's friends as well.  
  
Zossie wondered if Necrozma's new master had influenced Gladion's decision. They were, as Dulse had put it, " _close_ " after all...  
  
Work at the Aether Foundation was tough, but Zossie found it very rewarding. Her knowledge of the other regions, gained through her travels, gave her a slight edge over many of the other employees; she could recommend certain accommodations for various species of Pokemon, and even contributed to medical research within the Foundation. Several of her co-workers were alarmed by her knowledge of this world, as they'd only ever had the reclusive Dulse to compare her to.  
  
Of course, Zossie would never mention to the newer folks that she had gained this knowledge through a _lot_ of pain and suffering. Adjusting to this world's sun was _far_ more difficult than she'd ever anticipated, and even now, she still had trouble with it to some degree - although clearly not as bad as Dulse.  
  
When Gladion offered her the same accommodations that her old companion had, she accepted them without complaint. Even if she still put herself through the trials of acclimating to the light, Zossie knew that there was a time and place for that, and the sort of work she did was to be kept separate. She took frequent breaks during the daytime, but compensated for it at night... _most_ of the time.  
  
She wasn't anywhere near as devoted to work as Dulse, and to her, leisure was just as important; this was how she ended up in his office during a slow weekday, watching his Furfrou taking a siesta in the corner.  
  
"You know." Zossie spoke up, even though she knew she'd probably just get ignored. "You should get out more often. I know it hurts to be out in the sun too long, but you get used to it if you do it enough."  
  
As expected, Dulse disregarded her words and continued his work - she couldn't tell what he was working on from where she sat, but she was sure that it was very important to him. _Every_ sort of work was important to him.  
  
Seeing that Dulse was uninterested in conversation, Zossie began talking to herself. "...I wonder if I should get myself checked on, actually. I heard that if you stay out in the sun too long, it can do really bad things to your skin. Like, actual life-threatening things. I did get... 'sunburned' a lot during my journey, so uh..."  
  
"Why do you put yourself through this?" Dulse asked, his voice barely audible; this reaction came as quite a surprise. "You have nothing to prove. I have lived fine in Alola for ten years without forcing my body into such stressful situations. If your life is on the line, you shouldn't do it."  
  
Zossie had to admit that his concern was rather touching, but there was something he clearly didn't understand. "That's not how the people of this world are. If I want to be like them, I have to learn how to integrate. That includes training my body... even if it hurts." She groaned. "And _boy_ does it hurt..."  
  
"...perhaps for someone like you." Dulse shifted away from his desk - _a true miracle!_ \- and fixed his attention on Zossie instead. "There are many people in this world who choose to live a life indoors. And it isn't as though I _never_ intentionally expose myself to light."  
  
"I still think you should get out more." Zossie stuck her tongue out at him. "Maybe you'll figure out after a while that your eyes will stop hurting every time you go outside, and you won't sunburn as easily." She gave a shrug. "But I guess I can't really tell you what to do, can I?"  
  
Dulse was silent for a moment, and then a rare smile crossed his face. "...I could say the same of you. Though... perhaps I would be willing to make an effort."  
  
Zossie felt her face grow hot as she observed Dulse; he really did look _fantastic_ when he smiled. "Then... I guess I have no choice but to stay in more, huh? It's only fair."  
  
"If that is how you want to see it, then yes." Dulse turned back to his desk, but then he glanced over at Zossie and raised his visor. "...I missed you."  
  
Rare as it was for Dulse to smile, it was even _rarer_ for him to honestly express his feelings. Zossie often wondered if he even fully understood his own feelings, as she'd always had to point them out - both to him and the people around them. Perhaps that was why he remained so attached to her, even after all this time; she helped him understand himself, in a way that no one else could.  
  
"...Missed you too," Zossie said, after a brief pause. "Here's to our continued partnership!"  
  
Dulse groaned, turning his full attention back to his work. Zossie gave a rather loud giggle in response; no matter how attached he was, he still found her exasperating, and she was determined to keep it that way for as long as she could. He _needed_ some distractions here and there, and if she could provide them... well, that was all she really wanted.  
  
As the younger resident of Ultra Megalopolis stood and left her partner's office - waving goodbye to him in the process, though he didn't notice - she realized that for the first time in a long time, she was _truly happy_... and it was all thanks to a word of recommendation and a wonderful, if somewhat uptight, teammate.  


* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Couple notes:
> 
> -This is an incredibly optimistic interpretation of things. If you look at my other works, you may notice that this is a pattern. I like happy endings.  
> -I always wondered what happened to that Furfrou the Ultra Recon Squad used in their first battle. This is, again, a very optimistic interpretation. And also a very cute one, in my opinion.  
> -I love the relationship between Dulse and Zossie. I feel like, in particular, Zossie brings out the best in Dulse. She feels like the "heart" of the Ultra Recon Squad, to me.  
> -This may not be the only fic set in this timeline. I haven't decided yet, but I am interested in writing more content with Dulse and Zossie.  
> -The scene with Dulse and Gladion was really just an excuse to write my two favorite Alola boys interacting with each other. I am nothing if not shameless.
> 
> It's kind of ironic that gen 5 is my favorite, yet the first fic I upload here is gen 7... well, I guess they do have a lot of similarities, after all!


End file.
